After the Aftermath: Post X3
by Cheatou
Summary: It's back, and better than... Well, better than never. Rogue's life after X-3, including drama and family issues.
1. The Beginning

All of this story takes place after X3: The Last Stand. Do not read unless you have seen the movies, as spoilers are obvious.I own nothing pertaining to the X-Men or Marvel universes or characters. I will borrow some quotes and some ideas from other sources. However, they will not be copied directly from their source.

However, if there is a song that the story claims Rogue/Marie has written, it is going to be one of my own poems (I don't do good at thinking up tunes, so a poem would work for a song), and thus is mine.

Please read and review, as this is my first fan-fic and I would like to hear other people's opinions. Also, if you have a complaint, please state it as such. I _would_ like to hear if I have made any mistakes, especially if they are something along the lines of inconsistencies, spelling, grammar, or something that has contradicted the movie verse (please, please tell me ASAP), however I _would not_ like to hear any _non-constructive_ criticism if I have not thoroughly earned it. (For example, saying my story sucks without telling me why). If you don't like it, don't read it.

And before anyone says anything, I know the beginning isn't very good; that's the hardest part of the story and all I can say is it'll get better as the story goes on. The main point here is that I started about a month or so after the third movie, so if you don't understand it, I recommend just going back and reviewing the last movie and you should be able to pick up the pace from there.

Speaking of mistakes, in order to convey accents, I have _purposely_ used incorrect spellings for some of the words that the characters have spoken: Rogue/Marie, and later Gambit/Remy, in particular.

Because this is a FAN fiction and I expect any reader to know all of the characters as they have been presented in the movies, I do hope no one will be offended if I do not introduce all of the characters individually unless they are from one of the comic book series or another source. If you are, then I must firmly request that you read another story. This one is mine and the ideas in it are mine as well. It is not a continuation of any other story, even if the title suggests that it is. I'm just not good at titling stories.

"Speech"

"_Whispers or emphasis"_

'Telepathic Speech or Thoughts used for a Conversation'

'_Rogue's Absorbed Psyches'_

_Writing_

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Although she wasn't a real member of the X-Men anymore, Marie had been allowed to stay at the mansion as a student, as she had a full-paid scholarship and nowhere to go. That didn't do her much good. While Headmistress Ororo Munroe had let her keep her old room, and the other teachers had accepted her, that didn't mean that the students would just leave her be.

Still, she hadn't heard them talking about her. Not at first, that is. Marie had been too busy with Bobby to notice. Then she had passed a group of students on her way back to her room. She heard one sentence, completely on accident, and it turned her world upside down.

"_Sure, Rogue was brave to fly the jet; it's Marie who was the coward."_

That was Marie's first cue that something was wrong.

Immediately, Marie wanted to ask Jubilee what they were saying. Jubilee was always at the center of gossip; surely she'd know what Marie was missing.

Quickly Marie took the stairs two at a time, rushing towards the girl's dorms as fast as she could without attracting undue attention.

Perhaps if she hadn't hesitated, Marie would have forgotten about it and gone on. However, hearing Jubilee's laugh coming from their room, Marie couldn't help but wonder what they were joking about. With her ear to the door, she listened as everyone talked. All of it was mean, with no truth behind it whatsoever. What they were saying was nauseating...

And it was all about her.

Marie listened for as long as she could stand it. Finally she pushed open the door to the room that she shared with both Jubilee and Kitty. Jubilee sat in the company of a large crowd of girls, but Kitty wasn't among them.

As soon as the door opened, everyone fell silent, looking at Marie. Tears streaked down her cheeks, and her skin was drained of color. It was obvious what she had heard.

Everyone in the room parted as Marie passed, seemingly oblivious to them. Seeing the opportunity to escape, the girls stumbled to their feet and left the room.

There were many times in the past few years that Marie had changed. She had gone from being an innocent southerner, to being a runaway mutant, to being accepted despite her power, through a slight depression, then to being human again at a mutant school. And those were only her known changes…

Each change had been sudden and distinct, but this was Marie's most rapid change ever, from relatively normal to depressed and hollow. That moment, she stopped caring about the place she had once called her home and the people she had considered friends. Instead of screaming at Jubilee or any of the other girls, she started plotting. Some of her past identities had been a runaway.

Perhaps it was time to get in touch with her past…

Marie no longer knew how long ago it was that she had become a normal human. It seemed a lifetime ago, but for her time had slowed down. She had lost a lot of herself that day. All of it, she had claimed, was for herself. It was what she wanted, not her boyfriend. For her, not for Bobby.

Every logical sense she posessed told her she couldn't do anything from Bobby. With her mutation, her aging had slowed down a lot. She should've been nearly fourty. And her mother… Well, her family tree wasn't so noble as most peoples' were. Bobby was part of a cover, and it was a cover that she needed Bobby to help her keep, wether he knew it or not. She wouldn't give up something as precious as her mutation, not for a lie.

Or so she thought, because now she wasn't so sure. She had fully rejected her mutant name, calling herself by only Marie. She wasn't a mutant anymore, so the name "Rogue" no longer fit. But she also didn't feel like the innocent girl from the south, so in a way she wasn't really Marie anymore. Besides, Marie would've graduated from college ages ago. Or was that Anna?

Her actual point , the reasoning behind this change of heart, was that within the month, Marie and Bobby had begun to fight. Both of them were still officially going out, but the shouting had become almost constant.

Today, though, Marie was, and had been, specifically seeking him out, going against every pacifist instinct she'd ever had, and she had lost most of her violent side even before her powers surfaced. Her decision to break up with him was only reinforced by her new need to get away from the school in any way she could. They were right; she didn't belong there, and she never had. They just didn't know why.

Soon Marie came upon Bobby talking casually to Kitty. They were in the rec room on the first floor, and through sheer dumb luck, they hadn't seen her. Standing just outside the doorway, Marie eavesdropped on Kitty and her so-called boyfriend.

"Bobby, she needs to know what they're saying."

"Yeah, well, don't you think I know that?" the boy asked, running his hand through his light brown hair. "But how are we supposed to tell her that everyone's been making fun of her behind her back? Even paranoid as she's been, she hasn't heard them. So how do we tell her what she hasn't heard?"

"I don't know," Kitty said, beginning to sound frustrated. She calmed herself quickly and glanced around. Marie ducked back just in time to avoid Kitty's cautious, fleeting look. "But if we don't tell her now, she's gonna be devastated when she does find out."

"Well, what do we do? I tell her, and she'll think I'm just using it as dirt for our fights. You tell her, and she'll think you were trying to break us up."

"No, Ah won'," Marie said calmly, stepping into the doorway. "Cause Ah was gonna do that. Break us up, that is."

Quietly Kitty backed off as Marie approached. Marie addressed her first, saying, "Ah owe you an apology, Kitty. Ah don' know what got int' me, an' Ah'm glad fer what'cha were tryin' t' do.

"As fer you, Bobby, Ah c'n see our… relationship isn' gonna work. An' Ah'm sorry 'bout th' possessive part'a that. Is're any way we can still be friends?" Marie asked Bobby, then looked over to Kitty as she added, "All've us?"

Both of them looked like they were about to burst from happiness. They hugged and Marie laughed. "Y'know, yall'd make a cute couple."

"Wait," Kitty said, backing up and looking suspicious. "You broke up with him, and you're setting him up with me? Why?"

"'Cause Ah've been thinkin' 'bout what Ah'm doin," Marie said, also pulling back. "Ever since… lately, Bobby an' Ah, well, we jus' don' make th' couple we used to. Bobby an' you like each other, an' there's potential there. Ah jus' wanna make up for some'a th' shit Ah've pulled, an' Ah always wanted t' see a happy endin', even if it isn' mahne."

Smiling, Marie turned around and left the new couple alone. Both Bobby and Kitty watched her retreating form closely with growing concern. Something was up with her, and as her friends, they wanted to know what.

-

As chance would have it, Logan stopped her outside her room. Of course, she knew it wasn't chance; Bobby and Kitty had probably gone ahead and found him to talk to her.

"Marie, you okay?" Logan asked. Marie looked out at him from under the white bangs that hid her face. For a moment, her eyes had become deep somehow, older. Logan couldn't really explain it. "Is it anything you want to talk about?"

"It's nothin'." Marie muttered. He knew she was lying, but it was her decision not to talk.

Logan put a hand on her shoulder as he said, "Remember, if you need to talk, my door's always open."

Marie had looked up at him, her scowl fading. "Ah know."

As he began to walk away, Marie called back to him. He stopped and turned back to her as she thanked him, then went into her room, closing the door behind her.

-

Marie couldn't sleep that night. Midnight had passed a long time ago, and she found herself wandering throughout the hallways. Finally she came to the Rec Room. Bobby and Kitty were sitting together, talking quietly to each other. They were plotting, Marie realized suddenly.

"Hey guys," Marie said suddenly from behind them. The two of them jumped, then calmed down as they saw who it was. "What'cha plannin?"

"Well," Kitty started, trying to figure out how to say what she wanted to. "You've done this for us, so we wanna do something for you. Bobby and I…"

Bobby sent her a look, and Kitty sighed.

"All right, well, _I_ came up with a nice little show for breakfeast tomorrow…"

"Please tell me you ain' gonna cook? Every'ne's got their own special talents, but cookin' ain' yours."

"Rogue!" Kitty hissed, then she started to explain her idea. When she was done, Marie let out a low whistle of approval.

"Bobby, Kitty here's a good girl with a lotta potential. For our sake, make sure you're th' worst influence she's ever had. This place could do with more'a this kinda excitement…"

-

Marie sat at her desk, a pen and several pieces of paper out before her as she wrote. Three luggage bags had already been packed and, with Kitty's help, hidden outside near the street. She had three hours until breakfeast, three hours to write everything she needed to say to everyone she cared about.

Logan came first. He had to, after everything he had done for her in the past. He had saved her, and though he denied it, he was more of a father than the man who'd helped raise her. Truth be told, her foster father had never been around.

Then there was Storm. No one could match her motherly kindness, and she was doing a good job of heading the school. She'd worry if Marie just vanished, especially right after the stunt Kitty and Bobby were about to pull.

There were shorter letters to some other kids, one to Jubilee of all people, and before she knew it, Marie was done.

With one and a half hours till sunrise and no time to spare, Marie curled up on her bed and fell asleep. Today was going to be a good day; she could feel it.

-

Kitty and Bobby entered the cafeteria through different doors but at the same time. Kitty looked over to Bobby for reassurance. His eyes caught hers and he gave her a small, reassuring smile. Immediately she relaxed and glanced at her table.

Both of them kept stealing quick glances at the stairs and at each other for ten minutes before Kitty spotted Marie. Marie quicly pulled out a stack of envalopes, each one with a name on it, and Kitty nodded to Bobby, making sure no one else had noticed their strange behavior. They hadn't, and Bobby got up and started to make his way over to her table. Marie, meanwhile was watching everyone else. Her timing had to be perfect.

Bobby stopped in front of Kitty, who set aside her orange juice and pushed away her untouched food. She stood up and Bobby leaned in, the stares from all around them making him slightly nervous. That is, until the two of them began to make out.

Every head in the room was turned to the new couple, allowing Marie to slip out easily. She didn't look back once as she closed the door behind her and sprinted away through the cover of the hedges, towards the glare of the rising sun.

-

Five full minutes had passed, and the kiss had ended after the first two. Bobby glanced down at his watch, then up at Kitty. "Think that's enough time?"

"Dunno," Kitty said, smiling. She looked around her a couple of times and burst out laughing. "Depends on how long it takes her."

Bobby was laughing too. "I can't believe you planned this."

"I can't believe she called it brilliant," Kitty admitted, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "I mean, your girlfriend wants to leave so bladly that she dumps you…"

"And set us up together so that the two of us would forgive her paranoia," Bobby continued, smirking by now. "Which never picked up on the gossip until it had gotten really bad…"

"Which was what drove her away in the first place," Kitty finished, smiling. "Which was why I offered to give her a distraction to cover up her escape."

Bobby grinned and nodded as Storm and Logan stepped forward.

"Are you serious? Marie left?" Storm asked, concerned. Kitty nodded, still grinning but with a sad look in her eyes.

"She had some letters when she was waiting for us to start. I think she left them on the stairs," Bobby said, with the same look on his face. Kitty glanced over at Jubilee nervously, watching for her reaction. Everyone knew it had been Jubilee's fault Marie found out, and the poor girl had turned pale, tears streaking down her face.

One of the replacement teachers, Emma Frost, hurried to get the letters as Kitty and Bobby pursuaded Logan to wait and read his letter before he went after her.

His was the longest.

_Logan,_

_I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. I just decided to leave two days ago,_

_and I didn't want you to stop me. By the way, I took the cure for myself, so _

_I wouldn't feel so alienated. Everyone stayed five feet away from me when _

_they knew what I could do, and when I took the cure, everyone stopped _

_being scared of me. They started hating me, and I didn't notice. I ruined _

_everything, and I didn't mean to. It's true, by the way, that the road to hell_

_is paved with good intentions. I'm sure you've heard that one before. I'd_

_tell you where I'm headed, but I haven't decided yet myself. I'll call in every_

_once in a while, but not too often. Don't want you to follow my trail and stuff._

_I just wanted to say goodbye, and thanks. You were like the father I never _

_had, and that meant a lot to me._

There was a lot of junk in it, including a very discriptive look into how she had found out about the gossip, minus names, and her feelings on that. Finally, and most importantly, there was the end of the letter.

_By the way, I know you better than myself. I mean, you're pretty strong in _

_my mind. And once again, I just need to get away. Basically, Logan, I was_

_using this letter to stall you. I mean, everything in here is true and personal, _

_but I could have shortened it to maybe one page. You just read seven. I _

_don't have that much of a head-start, fifteen minutes at best, and you're a _

_brilliant tracker. I'm sorry, but I'm not coming back. I'll miss ya'll, especially_

_you, Logan. I trust you, and I'm begging you not to follow me._

_With deepest love and regret_

_Anna Marie Adler_

Slowly Logan straightened out his papers, folded them, and slipped them back in their envalope. Storm looked at him curiously, and he sighed.

"Kid's got a head-start. No way we're gonna catch her," Logan muttered softly, creasing closed the flap of the envalope as he spoke. Storm sighed and read over her letter again.

_Ms. Munroe,_

_You were a great teacher, and a good headmistress. You've _

_helped me out when I needed it, and you've done so much for me. I'm_

_sorry I have to leave. I'm just not welcome here, and you need a close,_

_family relationship among the students. You're doing a very good job_

_as the headmistress, and I just don't want you to blame yourself for this_

_because there is nothing you could have done. _

_Goodbye,_

_Marie_

Storm passed Logan her letter, short as it was, and he passed her his envalope and began to drag her to the headmaster's office, leaving Bobby and Kitty behind.

Slowly Jubilee pulled out her own letter and read it. It was one line long, with just this written:

_Jubilee,_

_I probably shouldn't, but I forgive you. For everything._


	2. Hitchhiking

Storm sat in the headmaster's office, looking over a message that she had gotten in the mail only that morning.

On Muir Island, there was a man who had no brain function whatsoever. Moira McTaggert, an old friend of Professor Xavier's, had sent in a video of him for a class in ethics. That was back before the whole Phoenix issue, back when the professor was alive.

The man had no chance of recovery, no chance of a life of any kind, yet they had a clip of him looking up, waking up, and speaking. Storm had no clue what the man had said, but apparently he had mentioned "his X-Men."

There was reason to believe that his mind was that of their original headmaster's, and she hoped with all her heart that they were right.

After all, without Professor Grey or Professor Summers, the adults were strained to fill every position they had.

-

Marie had been walking along the side of the road for two and a half hours, trying to hitch a ride out of the city. No one had stopped yet, but she hadn't stopped trying. A blue car pulled up behind her, startling her before it came to a stop. The window rolled down, revealing a familiar face that she dared not admit she knew.

"Rogue?" asked the woman. Black hair framed her pale face, and her blue eyes matched her car.

"Do Ah know you?" Marie asked, feigning confusion. "An' it's jus' Marie now, no 'un calls meh Rogue."

"Raven Darkholme," she said, frowning and turning her eyes to the road dully. There weren't as many people in that area of town, especially right now at eleven o'clock. "Formerly Mystique."

"You were forced t' take th' cure?"

"Yeah. You took it willingly, I assume," the woman said slowly. Marie's expression darkened even more, but she nodded anyways. "Need a ride?"

"Where ya' headed?" asked Marie, shrugging. Ms. Darkholme shrugged, too.

"Maybe south. I have a friend in Mississippi who knows where to find someone I need to see," Raven said, her eyes wandering away from Marie. The southern girl took the opportunity to bite her lip in regret.

"Family?" Marie asked knowingly. Raven nodded and unlocked the door. Marie had just put in her things when she came back to Raven's window. "Ah don' mean t' be rude, but why are ya' helpin' meh?"

"I miss having company," Raven admitted sheepishly. Marie smiled and agreed as she passed around to the other side of the car and got in. "So, south it is?"

"South it is."

-

When Raven decided to check them into a motel, Marie just moved her things into the room and sat outside, balancing carefully on the small gate that lined the small porch. Still apparently awake, she shut out the world and entered her mind. Everything was dark and foggy, with no source of light besides the many wraith-like inhabitants. Two of them were waiting for her.

The two masculine figures stood facing each other, but stopped when they saw her. At first they were hard to discern through the fog, but Marie quickly recognized who they were.

'_Marie._' It was Magneto. '_I have a deal for you.'_

'_Don't listen to him,_' Logan warned savagely. _'He tried to kill you.'_

'Perhaps he has something worthwhile to say,' Marie responded in her mind, her thoughts cutting over the chaos.

'_I can help with some of the other personalities_,' Magneto offered. _'I can get rid of them all, myself included.'_

Nearly all thoughts stopped at that. Every person she had ever absorbed seemed to be in shock, with the exception of Magneto himself; he was just waiting for it to sink in.

'_Why would you do that, bub?'_ Logan demanded. He wanted this for her, she could tell, but he was still protective of her and this smelled like a trap.

'_Look around you, Logan,'_ Magneto said, his tone changing as though he were about to make one of his long-winded speeches. '_We aren't even real. We are parts of other people, forced to co-exist in Ro- I mean _Marie'_s- mind. Besides, it's getting to be rather uninteresting in here._

'_Also, Marie, my speeches are neither that long nor that dull. It would seem that you simply lack the basic comprehension required to enjoy one of my speeches.'_

'An' what would Ah do in exchange?' Marie asked, ignoring his last few sentences for the most part. Of course she was interested, it just felt like a trick. 'It ain' like you t' jus' help me like this an' not ask anythin' in return.'

'_Well, a certain Wolverine has made my stay uncomfortable,' _Magneto admitted, but always with that arrogant air of superiority_. 'but my payment is one you will adore. Get rid of everyone else, but keep Logan for at least three months. I know how much it will aggravate him, so consider it my just revenge.'_

'So basically,' Marie realized, 'It's up to Logan.'

'_I dunno 'bout this, Marie.'_ It was the first time she had ever seen any version of Logan as being indecisive. _'I don't trust him. Still, if it'll give you some peace, and keep ya' outta here, then sure. I still think you shouldn' talk to any'un in yer head as often as ya do."_

Magneto's mentality began to focus on the others in her head, slowly tearing them apart, molecule by molecule. Marie doubled over, both physically and in her mind. Her body lost its balance, and she fell to the ground, landing hard. Still, she wasn't awake. Her eyes had opened, but they were dull and unseeing.

'It hurts,' cried Marie, holding her arms as though trying to hold herself together. Her inner Logan's arms wrapped around her, but she still felt Magneto tearing everyone else apart as though she were the target. When he had gotten rid of everyone else but herself and Logan, Magneto fell silent. He was still there, though. Focusing all of her pain on him, she began to tear him apart like he had torn apart so many others. A strange thrill spread through her. She had killed him.

The thrill dissipated quickly, leaving her feeling worn out and weak. Slowly she returned to the real world, only to find Raven Darkholme standing over her, eyes full of concern. The sight brought back such painful memories that Marie dared not speak.

"Are you okay?" she demanded, helping Marie sit up.

"Yeah," Marie sighed, carefully pulling herself up to her feet.

"What happened? I heard a noise, and when I came out here, I couldn't wake you up."

"I'll explain everything once we get inside," Marie said dismissively. "Did you call for help?"

"Phone's dead."

"Good."

-

The actual explanation took nearly no time at all, but there were the complications of having someone's ex-boss in your head. Marie knew everything Magneto had known, and she promised not to use any of it as blackmail against Ms. Darkholme. In return, Raven would help her out whenever she needed it, up to the point that they parted ways.

Somehow, the two of them seemed to be getting along as well as Marie and Logan had when they'd first met. Mystique as a person was eerily similar to Marie, and the two of them just plain clicked. They were like long-lost friends, and Marie already understood Raven in many, many ways. Part of her still resented the woman, but Marie couldn't do anything about that. She needed a ride, somewhere to go, and the loneliness had been eating away at her since her cure. She needed a companion, and the broken Raven Darkholme was the closest thing that she had right now.

Finally, Marie's mind began to go numb with true exhaustion. She staggered into the living room and collapsed onto the couch, already half asleep.

-

Marie was awake the moment the first ray of sunlight hit her eyes. She was a naturally light sleeper, and all of the early-bird personalities that she had absorbed from everyone she'd touched, except Logan of course, blended into her own seamlessly. As a matter of fact, sometimes she didn't know which personality traits were hers that she'd just grown into or were some that she'd taken from other people. Either way, she was awake, and Raven would be asleep.

Raven Darkholme, the former terrorist, murderer, etc., was curled up on the bed, clutching a photograph to her chest as though it were her most prized possession. It was a single photograph of a small girl with an innocent smile and curly chestnut-brown hair. She sat on the lap of a woman who was clearly blind, playing with a moth she had caught.

Marie remembered the incident that had taken place afterwards, too. The flash from the camera had startled the moth away from the girl, who tried to catch it again. She lost her balance and fell off her other foster mother's lap. She had cried and fussed for a few minutes, but the moth landed on her arm and she settled down again. It was then that she noticed the strange mark on its wings, something like a pair of eyes.

Two days later, she had caught the moth again. When it had died, she mounted it in a small, wooden box, with that picture on the inside of the lid. She, the little girl, was Anna. When she ran away, she started going by her middle name, distinguishing her innocent childhood self from her new self. From Marie.

Marie sighed and let the picture flutter down to where her mother was sleeping. She had denied it for so long, but she knew it was true. Her mother was Mystique, who had abandoned her decades ago.

When she was six, she had spied her momma changing into the form she had come to associate with Mystique, the blue-skinned, red-haired mutant. Her primary guardian and biological parent, both in regret and for their mutual safety, left to distance herself from her child. She, on the other hand, hadn't been too upset for such a little girl. She had even left her a letter, in case her momma ever returned.

_ I still love you, momma..._ Her own words haunted her now, and she wasn't sure if it was true.

-

Two hours later, Raven woke up. Her picture, the only one she had kept of her old girlfriend, Irene, and her daughter, was lying across the bridge of her nose. She gently picked it up and sat upright. A quick scan told her that Marie was gone. She had even taken along her things, so it was clear she wasn't coming back.

As she went to put up her picture, something caught her eye. It was a simple wooden box, but on the inside was a copy of her picture, with a dead moth impaled on a needle inside. Thin glass covered the thing, and on top of that was a piece of paper no bigger than the slip found inside a fortune cookie. Gently she put dwn her picture and picked up the paper, reading the small, flowing letters.

_I do still love you, momma, and I'm sorry for leaving you the way you left me._

Raven fell to her knees, still holding the scrap in front of her.


	3. Baptism

Three months. She had been on the road only three months, and she looked years older. Gently Marie pulled her hair back out of her face, still studying her reflection closely.

Marie had been a sophomore at the institute. She had once looked seventeen, and didn't bother to tell everyone how old she really was. In fact, she had claimed to have been on the road for a mere six months. If only she could have told them how it had been nearly two decades… She had been so alone, so lost. Her momma didn't know she had left, didn't recognize her when she saw her…

Well, at least she looked legal now. No need to mention the problems that it suddenly invited into her life. And besides, a teenager was a lot more inconspicuous, and innocent, than a woman of twenty-something.

There was so much wrong at that moment, with her life in general. A thought flitted across her mind, jolting her inner Logan back into awareness. 'Ah could die…'

'_Don'cha dare think like that, Marie.'_

Ignoring him, Marie changed her train of thought. 'If Ah keep agin' like this, Ah'll nevah be able t' settle down in one place.'

'_Thought ya didn' wanna stay chained down.'_

'At least Ah had that option. Logan, even if Ah were still welcome at th' institute, Ah'd have t' leave. Oh gawd, Ah let that damn charade carry on fer too long. It was so easy, lahke a good dream… Guess that's jus' what Ah deserve. Ah'm thirty-somethin, Logan. Ah have no home, mah momma's a former villain, an' Ah'm alone.'

'_Darlin', th' charade's over. Do ya think that any innocent Southern belle could've survived even six months on the road without bein' hurt or killed? Mutant or no, that story's 'bout as likely as…'_

'Start on that chain again, an' Ah'm gonna go raht inta th' suicide thoughts. Ya couldn't'a prevented Jean's death. Ya shouldn' feel guilty 'bout it, neither; Ah didn' absorb you after that fiasco.'

'_Sorry. Maybe we should get outta here 'fore some thug shows up to get outta th' rain.'_

Slowly Marie looked out the window. Small droplets were starting to fall, but she didn't doubt it would work its way into a full-fledged storm. Logan was right, too. The building she was in would doubtlessly be overrun shortly by whatever hobos couldn't find any other shelter in a few more minutes.

Her duffel bag was already packed up, her clothes piled in a corner. Everything that had once been baggy on her sixteen-year-old body was uncomfortably tight on Marie's suddenly older one. And she had changed so much overnight!

As usual, Marie had gone to sleep in the safest, most secluded place she could manage. This time, it was in the rafters of an abandoned bar in the middle of a busy city. She had covered herself up with her cloak, the same one she'd worn when she'd run away at sixteen, actually being sixteen. It had held up amazingly over the past twenty years.

When Marie had woken up, her clothes had been way too small. A quick glance outside had shown her she was, indeed, still in her own time, but a quick glance at a mirror showed her she was physically about five years older than she had been the previous day, and the cloak _still_ fit. Somehow, she wondered if her momma's girlfriend, Momma Irene, hadn't planned it somehow.

Quickly, Marie pulled her cloak on and buttoned it up. She would attract less attention in a cloak than in clothes several sizes too small, but hopefully there was a place nearby where she could get some cheap outfits.

There was. The place was a small, run-down place, with gang signs in graffiti along the outside walls, but it had a sale going on and a sign guaranteeing everything under ten dollars. All Marie had on her was one hundred and fourty or so dollars, which wasn't a lot when faced with replacing an entire wardrobe and keeping her alive. Still, Marie knew how to make her money last for almost a year without resorting to begging or theft. Not to say she wouldn't; she liked to keep her options open.

-

When Marie left the store, she had six pairs of jeans, four tee-shirts, one pair each of tennis shoes and working boots, and a brown leather poncho with a hood. She didn't actually have a need for the poncho, but it had caught her eye and she had been able to spare the cash.

Not really, but she had wanted it and treated herself to it. Marie had all the clothing she could wear and a hundred dollars, besides. She had slipped easily and quickly back into her 'street' mindframe, which knew how to save and spend, and when she actually needed to eat.

Discreetly Marie emptied a large trash can into the dumpster, then climbed inside and changed. She emerged fully clad in a decent outfit minutes later, just as it was starting to rain. The water washed away the smell enough as she started to walk, cleaning and soaking her to the bone.

In a way, it was a baptism of sorts, washing away everyone she had ever been. She was starting over, and that was just the way she liked it.

Only, now came the real problem; a new identity. Somehow, that sounded wrong. It wasn't permanent, or rather, Marie didn't plan on living like a street rat forever. She could work her way up, carve out a decent life for herself. But as whom?

Quietly Marie looked down at her hands. Her skin had once been poisonous, and it was still pale from years of layering, wearing gloves. Hiding. Lying. She didn't want to hide again, pretend to be someone new and restart her life. She wasn't. She was just herself.

She was Anna Marie Darkholme-Adler, and she didn't have to impress anyone.


	4. Changes

Anna Marie felt alone. Her mutation sucked, the loss of her mutation stung, and the newfound knowledge that the 'cure' was temporary was worse than it all combined.

She had been walking down the street, and had paused at an electronics store to watch the news on t.v. with seven or eight homeless people like her. It wasn't strange in any way, just an average part of her routine.

Yet, according to the news, some cured mutants had returned to Worthington Labs to beg for more shots that made them human. Worthington Labs had turned them away, saying that they had used it all and had no way to make more. Mutants would return, and it would be trouble.

Immediately, and as casually as possible, Anna Marie had continued on her way. She turned the corner hastily and ran into a woman about thirty or so, knocking her over by accident. The woman had landed with her arm and part of her torso in a rather large mud puddle along the side of the street.

Quickly and with immense regret, Anna Marie helped the lady up. She was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed rich woman, and though Anna Marie didn't like her kind, she was not outrightly rude.

"Ah'm sorry," Anna Marie said, smoothly and innocently. "Ah wasn' payin' any 'ttention t' where Ah was headed. You alwright, ma'am?"

"This is a very expensive shirt," the woman said, growling. "And it is not waterproof."

"Ah'm sorry," muttered Anna Marie again. Part of her wished she was still a teenager so she could play stupid. She, as an adult, could be held responsible for messing up the lady's shirt.

"This is soo not your lucky day." With that growl, the woman dragged Anna Marie into a nearby alley. She picked Anna Marie up easily, and the two of them floated a dozen feet in the air.

"Supah-strength an' flight?" asked Anna Marie, seemingly unimpressed as she held onto the woman's arm with a tight grip.

"And a temper to match," she said, smirking. "All I wanted was a normal life. And since I can't have that, I might as well take that out on someone. You? Well, you're as easy a target as any."  
With that, the woman streaked up into the sky. Anna Marie felt the skin on her face stinging from the wind as they moved. The lady made as though she would drop Anna Marie, who grabbed her forearm with her other hand in automatic response.

Two short seconds passed with Carol in vague shock. Anna Marie, Rouge, was draining her, and Carol panicked. She tried to pry the other woman's hands off of hers, but her own hands stuck like glue to Rogue. They plummeted downwards.

They were very close to the ground when Carol's flight kicked in, but in Rogue's body. Rouge pulled up, barely keeping herself from falling, but Carol slipped from her grip. Already without her powers, she kept falling instead of catching herself. She landed hard, her body bent at a painful angle.

Gently Rogue lowered herself, then dropped. She'd never used flight before, and it was a slight struggle for her, but she had landed unharmed.

Rogue started to apologize, but Carol didn't listen to her and began wailing about how her back was broken. She'd never walk again, both of them knew. Then, she said something that Rogue never expected.

"Kill me. Do whatever it was you did earlier and kill me!" Carol kept begging until Rogue stood to leave, her bag slung over her shoulder. Carol grabbed Rogue's shin, and let the pulling sensation take her consciousness away. Rogue tried to keep moving, but Carol wouldn't let her.

There wasn't long before Carol's psyche filled her mind with thoughts. Immediately enraged, Rogue lashed out at the psyche, the same way she had killed Magneto's psychic echo. Carol's scream filled her mind and her ears, and Rogue pulled herself away quickly. Panic took over, and Rogue took to the air, flying fast and hard.

-

Exhausted, Rogue sat back. Barely a few days had passed since Carol's death, but Rogue had made it all the way back to New York. It was, in essence, the only logical place she could go. No one would recognize her at her new age, and should there be any trouble, the X-Men would be there to clean up the mess and stop the fights. It was, in essence, part of the job.

Besides that, Rogue couldn't help but want to see how much the school had changed since she'd left. A little over a month had passed, and there was sure to be a lot of trouble, like usual.

Slowly Rogue looked around the bar. She had often heard Logan mutter about coming here, and she could see why now. It was a calm, homey place, with a lot of friendly people crowded together.

Rogue was clad in her poncho and a pair of brown gloves that covered her elbows. Her skin was hidden, her body was strong enough to endure the hunger she'd suffered, and she felt comfortable for a few minutes.

Unfortunately, that was all she was allowed. Already drunk, which in and of itself was a miracle, Logan staggered into the small bar and sat himself down. He ordered a beer, and chugged it down before anyone could protest. The bartender moved on to Rogue next, and when she questioned his sanity, he laughed.

"Between the two of us, it's just soda and water. He thinks it's beer, we know it ain't. Everyone's happy!"

Rogue nodded her understanding and watched the Wolverine down three or four of the "beers", stumble out of the bar, and rev up his motorcycle. Concerned, Rogue followed him on foot. She didn't run across any accidents, and Logan made it back to the institute.

At the gate, already scolding him, was a bald man with blue eyes, not unlike the professor. However, the man was standing on his own, walking without the wheelchair that Xavier had always been confined to. The man finished chastising Logan and sent him inside, but turned and looked at Rogue for a moment. It was all she needed to be sure, absoloutely positive, that the man really was their dead professor, different though he was.

Rogue quickly turned and started walking towards the park, shifting her bag occasionally. When she got there, someone was already sitting on the nearest bench. Normally, she would have ignored them altogether, but as it was a sobbing Ororo Munroe…

"'Scuse me, ma'am," Rogue said, tapping the woman on the shoulder gently. "You alright?"

"No," the weather-witch sobbed. "I… He…"

Quietly Rogue sat down beside her. "Shh… Calm down. Now, tell me what's the matter."

This time, Ororo managed to make herself heard. Rogue struggled to understand what she was saying. "It's this guy… I love him, but… It started a while ago… He wants this other woman… And she's engaged already. I… they… She and her fiance, they were… away for a while. Then they came back… Plus, this kid… the man was really attached to her when she left… She hasn't come back… He… He's been drinking himself sick every night…"

"Does this man know that you love him?" Ororo didn't answer. Slowly Rogue began to piece together what was going on, sort of.

The couple who had left… The only couple Rogue could think of were Jean and Scott, but Jean was dead. Twice. Scott had only gone once, but he was gone, too. The man, well, he had to be Logan. The kid might have been her, if she was right.

"What was his name?" Rogue asked slowly. Ororo looked up at her, still crying.

"Logan," she said quietly as she stood up. Her voice held a strong conviction to it as she added, "And I love him."

Rogue watched the older woman go off, then followed at a good distance. Ororo wouldn't have such an explosive confrontation inside, and Rogue wanted to watch. Her gloved hands pushed the hood of her sweatshirt down behind her so she could see better, and she stopped a while away from the mansion.

As soon as she came to a stop, Storm and Logan appeared. Logan had sobered up quite a bit, but Ororo hadn't even dried her eyes. She was pulling him by the wrist, and he looked concerned. He didn't seem like his usual self at all, but Rogue could tell he would remember everything come tomorrow morning, which was better than most men.

Still holding him by the wrists, Storm began to explain to Logan how she really felt. Rogue was still too far to hear them, but Logan seemed to be more than happy about it. He leaned in to kiss her, but Storm stopped him, now moving on to complain about… something. Probably the drinking. He looked away, spoke some, and the next Rogue knew, they kissed and embraced, and Storm glanced over at Rogue for a second.

Rogue smirked and gave a single wave, like a salute. Storm had recognized her. She knew it immediately. Her hood was down around her neck, so her hair and face were plainly visible, and Storm's eyes were clear of tears. Rogue just turned and walked off, knowing that Storm wouldn't follow her.


	5. Going Back

Quietly Rogue sat down, her eyes low and her hood covering her face. Rain fell lightly, more like a cool mist than actual rain. For a few moments, she wondered if it was Storm's doing. She honestly wouldn't have minded it, maybe even enjoied it, but it was cold. It was very cold, and Rogue's clothes weren't as thick as what she was used to.

Suddenly the rain seemed to stop, at least around her head. It took her all of three seconds to realize that it was an umbrella. Slowly, concerned, she looked straight up.

"Hello, Rogue," Storm said, smiling sadly. Tears came to Rogue's eyes and she bowed her head, trying to blink them away. That stopped the moment she felt a pair of strong arms around her shoulders. Storm had the umbrella handle cradled between her arm and her body, and had managed to keep it upright for the hug. "Come on, Rogue. Let's get out of the rain."

Slowly Rogue nodded, waiting for Storm to stand up before she did. The rain had eased, clouds parting just enough to let some light sunlight through. Following the weather witch like a lost child, Rogue almost felt like a teenager again. She didn't know where Storm was taking her, but for a while she didn't care.

Still, she was surprised when they stopped at an apartment. "Where are we, Miss Munroe?" Rogue finally asked, looking at her helplessly. Storm smiled softly, a reassuring gesture, then led Rogue up to one of the apartments.

"My home away from home," Storm said as they walked. "Where I go when I need some space. Or when the younger kids decide to drive me insane." Rogue nodded, understanding all too well. "Besides," she added, suddenly stopping, "I thought you'd be more comfortable here than going straight back to the Mansion. Unless I was wrong?"

Her polite inquiry was nothing more than her manners; both of them knew Rogue wasn't ready to face whatever was left of the X-Men yet. Rogue smiled sadly, amazed at how well Storm knew her. Well, at how well Storm knew her personality, at least.

"Naw," Rogue finally said as Storm opened the door. "Jus' surprised." Storm let Rogue in first, then closed the door behind her. "Ah was expectin' t' have t' 'splain mahself to you an' Logan an' the othah staff or whatevah."

"You make it sound like you're in trouble," Storm said, playfully. She didn't sound angry or upset, and actually her mock happiness put Rogue at ease more than a comforting one would have. "By the way, your accent sounds thicker."

"Stress," Rogue said, automatically. "It's a long story, an' Ah'm still trahin' t' deal with some a it." Storm nodded understandingly, then smirked.

"Well, first thing's first; go shower and change, then get a good night's sleep here. We can talk later." Rogue nodded gratefully, and Storm's smile faded slightly. "I won't say anything unless you're ready. You're not a prisoner, Rogue, and I'm sorry I was so distant towards you before."

"Thanks for your help, Miss Munroe," Rogue finally said. Storm laughed, leading her to the bathroom.

Just before she closed the door, Storm finally replied. "No, Rogue, thank you."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Author's note:

I'm Baaack!

Sorry about the... hiatus? Discontinuation? Whatever. I don't know how long I'll be back, and if you really want this you are still free to copy it. Still, I hope to get to a semi-regular update schedule for at least this one. My other story I have no clue about. However, the chapters will still come once in a blue moon. Sorry. Just know that they will come at least once every two months. (So productive, aren't I?)

Anyways, welcome or welcome back, for all of you who decided to return. And thank you.


	6. Family

Rogue woke up in a warm bed for the first time in what felt like ages, the soft pillow and comforter as unfamiliar as they were welcome. As a reflex bred from years of distrust, she sat upright immediately and blinked her eyes clear, confused as to where she was for only a few moments until her mind was finally awake again. Slowly she forced herself out of bed, then wandered through the apartment.

Ororro Munroe, Storm, had collapsed on the couch in a pair of sweat pants and a tank top. With her hair down and messy and her normal clothes, she looked much younger than Rogue recalled. Perhaps it was just the peaceful expression on her usually troubled face, or maybe it was that all of her responsibilities had aged her too quickly. Either way, Rogue felt a sort of renewed kinship with the woman and was careful not to wake her.

It didn't matter. The moment Rogue turned on the kitchen light, she heard Ororro's yawn. Carefully Rogue returned to her former headmistress's side, waiting for her to wake without really knowing why. A pair of confused blue eyes met hers, and after a few seconds Ororro shot up. "Oh god, Logan! I was supposed to be back last night!"

Murmuring something in a foreign tongue, Ororro got out of bed and rushed to the phone, calling the Institute with an almost desperate speed. Rogue, meanwhile, straightened up the couch and sat down, waiting her return. Somehow, over the course of two days, she had gone from thinking of the woman as Storm, the intimidating X-man and headmistress of her school, to thinking of her as Ororro Munroe, an extraordinary woman who was working herself too hard and who had very real problems.

When Ororro returned, she only spared a second to ask Rogue if she would like any tea. Rogue nodded shyly, then started messing with her gloves. She was clad in a borrowed pair of pajamas, silky textured, and a pair of black cotton gloves, despite the fact that she knew she wouldn't have the risk of touching anyone. Ororro wandered back to the sofa with two hot mugs of tea in her hand, then handed one to Rogue.

"Thanks, Miss Monroe," Rogue said, feebly.

"Please, Rogue," Ororro said, slowly, "Marie, call me Ororro. I believe you are old enough to, now. How old are you really?" Rogue's mouth opened to answer her, but she stopped. "It's okay, Marie, I won't be angry."

"Ah'm almost fouhty," Rogue confessed, staring down into her tea. "Mah powahs kept me from agin' raht." Ororro remained silent for a minute, but when she spoke again she had a calm, clear voice.

"Why didn't you tell us?" she asked, and Rogue felt her stomach twist.

"Evrythin' was goin' so dang fast, Miss Monroe," she said, trying not to cry. "Ah'd been on mah own for so long, an' Ah meant t' say somethin', Ah really did, but with Magneto an' Logan an' all a th' stuff happenin' at once, it was aftah th' Statue of Libahty incident that Ah could approach ya'll. Bah then, Ah jus' didn' want ya'll t' think Ah'd been tryin' t' use ya'll."

"And Bobby?" Ororro asked, still calmly.

"Ah thought he'd loose interest aftah a while. When he did, Ah'd gotten so used to bein' th' jealous gal that Ah wasn' ready to tell him t' go. B'sahdes, Ah did tell him mah age early on in th' relationship." Ororro remained quiet for a while, and Rogue took a sip of her tea. It was delicious, somewhat minty and very sweet, but it didn't take her mind off of Ororro. Even her inner Logan, whose voice had grown fainter over time, was absoloutely silent.

"What about Logan?" This time, Ororro's voice slipped slightly. Rogue understood, and couldn't supress her small laugh.

"You ain' got nothin' t' fear, Ro," Rogue said, smiling slightly. "He was jus' a good pal t' me. 'Sides, Ah really was a teenager in mahah ways; he was lahke th' fahther Ah'd nevah had. Nothin' more." Ororro relaxed, taking a sip of her tea in silence before she spoke.

"That was rather paranoid of me, wasn't it?" she asked, finally. Rogue gave her a small smile and started to console her, but the older woman brushed her off. "We promised you a home, Rogue, and we gave you a hornet's nest."

"An' friends who'd risk their lahfe foah me. Don' forget that part." The two women hugged, then Ororro pulled away.

"I want you to stay here until you're ready to return to the mansion," she said, slowly. "As for myself, I must go and teach the children and teenagers, and maybe a few adults."

Rogue's halfhearted protest began immediately. "But yoah private space-"

"Is not as important as you, Rogue," Ororro said with newfound certainty. "Besides, there is a certain member of my family that I need to get more familiar with."

By the time Rogue realized Ororro had been talking about her, the weather witch was gone.

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Author's Note:

Okay, chapters are probably going to be about this length from now on. Sorry. Hey, at least they're coming, right? Thanks to EVERYONE who added this to their alerts. It really means a lot to me!


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